Under 30? A member of Globetrotters Club? Interested in a £1,000 travel award?
Know someone who is? We have £1,000 to award each year for five years for the best submitted independent travel plan. Interested?
Then see our legacy page on our Website, where you can apply with your plans for a totally independent travel trip and we'll take a look at it. Get those plans in!!
Save the Earth Network is a Ghana based organization, founded in 1998 and dedicated to promoting sustainable development, agro-forestry, environmental conservation, international solidarity through voluntary work and cultural immersion in Ghana.
We aim to positively contribute to help reduce poverty, hunger, malnutrition, disease, illiteracy, drug abuse, unemployment, and environmental degradation, which are increasingly becoming the order of the day in most parts of the developing world. We are a networking tool for environmental, social and economic development activists from Ghana and worldwide. We offer volunteer placements in Ghana in areas that includes renovation and construction of school buildings for poor rural communities. Teaching children English language, mathematics and Christian religion at schools for under-privileged communities. Caring for orphans, destitute and abandoned children in foster homes and orphanages and providing them education; HIV/AIDS education, reforestation (environmental conservation), agro forestry and rejuvenation of degraded farmlands through tree planting; organic farming, primary health care and other community development programs.
Volunteers can participate in most of the volunteer programs all year round. Volunteers mostly work alongside staff and volunteers from the local community. Special skills, professional qualifications or previous experience is not required of volunteers in most of the programs. What is required is motivation, charisma, initiative, drive and the compassion to assist the underprivileged overcome their challenges and their struggle for dignity. Volunteers work four days a week, (Mondays to Thursdays) and they will work a minimum of four hours a day – it depends on the volunteer. We arrange for the volunteers to stay with good host families. Piped water and electricity are mostly available. Meals, a private room and bed are provided to each volunteer. Volunteers can participate in most programs from a period of 4 weeks to 52 weeks or more.
If you are interested in participating in any of our programs or would like to contact past volunteers, please contact: Eben Mensah at Save the Earth Network, P.O. Box CT 3635, Cantonments, Accra, Ghana. Tel: 233-21-667791, Fax:233-21-667791 or e-mail: ebensten@yahoo.com
According to the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Bolivia is undergoing a period of social unrest. Since the start of the year there have been a number of fatalities. Roads are blockaded from time to time. You should avoid demonstrations at all times and should not attempt to pass through or go around roadblocks. Strikes and other civil actions can occur at any time and can disrupt transport locally or nationally.
Blockades intensified in mid-September and continue. Road traffic across the Altiplano from La Paz westwards, in particular up to Lake Titicaca, the Peruvian border, Oruro, and the Chilean border is subject to blockades or disruption at any time. La Paz to the Yungas is equally affected. Visitors are advised not to travel in these areas. Sorata has particular problems.
London based human rights group Amnesty International has openly criticised the government of the Maldive Islands and asked them to end what it calls systematic political repression. Amnesty says torture, unfair trials and abusive power by the security forces are endemic in the Maldives, contrasting somewhat from their image of romantic holidays on beautiful coral atoll islands with white sandy beaches.
Amnesty are asking for an urgent radical reform of the criminal justice system. One opposition website has said that the security forces detained more than 100 people, but other sources put the number lower.
A Sri Lankan teacher who spent three months in jail in the Maldives last year said it was common for inmates to be tortured – hung upside down on bars and beaten on their feet or submerged head first in water. He said after the beatings, the guards would throw sugar on the prisoners so they'd be bitten by ants in their cell, and he said political prisoners were kept in the same cells as ordinary criminals, where powerful lights would be kept on to make sleep difficult.
In Part 1 of Ingrid’s tale, she discovered that she had Dengue Fever. In Part 2, we hear about how she was treated and what happened next.
We entered the hospital. I felt like I was walking into one of those bars in a western movie where every one stops and stares at you. My head felt dizzy and focusing was impossible. What was happening to me? Looking back, I must have looked really spaced out.
The nurse once again took my blood pressure. She shook her head, checked the equipment and took it again. Not convinced, she took it once more. She told me to remain seated and rushed off to the doctor’s room. I was called in and informed that my blood pressure was 96/80, so low that it was not pumping blood to my brain properly. I was immediately put onto a bed. Before I knew it, they were after my blood again – this time – I was too weak to care.
Noi waved a form in front of me. “What food you want?” she said. I realized then that this was not just a day visit. Thai or Chinese at 80baht or Western at 250baht. Which would you choose at those prices? I chose the Thai, signed the form and was taken to a room on the 7th floor.
As they wheeled me into place, I looked down at the drip in the back of my hand. My eyes widened. I blinked and took a second look. Was I hallucinating? Like something out of a horror movie, I could see ants running up and down the drip and under the plaster. Was I the only one concerned about this? The nurse ignored them at first, then she carelessly slapped them away. Ow!
Two hours later, with the little energy I had, I was still removing ants from various parts of my body. I asked to be moved. Off they wheeled me to another room but, before we settled, I looked down at the bedside table and spotted an ant, so off we trouped again. Eventually an ant free room was found – it had a pet gecko instead.
During the next 24 hours, I had no idea what was happening. I was constantly nauseous, feverish, had a banging headache, backache and leg ache. I did not know if I was going to live or die. When I pressed the call button, three nurses would skip in and stand to attention at the end of my bed. After telling them what I needed, they would smile, nod their heads and disappear. Great service but no reward. After a while, I would have to call again. They had obviously misunderstood. Often, it would take lots of exhausting hand signals and facial expressions before they would realise what I needed.
Day two in Hospital. I was not feeling any better nor any the wiser as to my condition. Feeling extremely nauseous but starving, I was happy to see my first breakfast walk in on a tray. I lifted the lid and to my surprise… squid soup! Oh yuk! Not something I would eat if I felt 100%. I gave the brekkie a miss.
After the much improved lunch, I was watching a low budget Hollywood movie when there was a knock on my door, followed by the priest! Oh my God, this is it, I thought: this illness is terminal – my time has come. I was a little alarmed that he had come to give the last rights but so delirious I could not find the energy to be scared. He smiled and told me he was visiting because he wanted to practice his English.
Every day the doctor would visit at around 5pm. He would look at me, ask me if I had any bleeding or rash. I would reply no. He would nod, turn around and walk back out again … Er hello some sort of information would be nice Doc!
Over the next few days there was no improvement. It felt like groundhog day. The repeated rubbish movies on the only English speaking channel, the continual disruption of my snoozing as a piece of rubber was slapped round my arm, cutting off my circulation. A needle was jabbed into it extracting more blood, scaring the life out of me.
On the fourth night came the grand finale – the rashhh!!!! It was more than just any old rash. It lasted over twenty-four hours. My face swelled up like a car’s airbag on impact, my hands and feet swelled, went bright red, itched like crazy at first and then felt like they were on fire, aaagh damn that Dengue!
Anticlimax: on the sixth day the doctor came in, looked at me, turned around and walked out again. Ten minutes later the senior nurse entered and told me I could go home. Three days passed before I snapped out of it and got my energy back. Within a fortnight I was back on the island where I caught the disease. Crazy or not, I was determined not to let the Dengue fever put me off my trip. This was my horse and I am so glad I got back on it.
Later I discovered that the deadly Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever not only occurs in young children but also in people who have caught one strain of Dengue Fever and then catch another.
Hurry up with a vaccine. Please!
If you would like to contact Ingrid, who is currently in Chile, you can e-mail her on:gr.ing.a.rid2003@hotmail.com
If you are into airplanes, then this is the place for you: Britain's National Museum of aviation features over 70 full-sized aircraft including a unique collection of British, German and Italian planes.
The Museum also houses a flight simulator, 'Touch and Try' Jet Provost Trainer and Sunderland Flying Boat 'walk through' experience.
Address: Grahame Park Way, NW9.
Open: Daily, 1000-1800
Tube: Colindale Rail: Mill Hill Broadway.
Enquiries: 020 8205 2266 Entrance: FREE.
Meeting news from our branches around the world.
Our webmaster likes: the Theban Mapping Project a website that allows you to go on an interactive tour of the tombs of the Valley of the Kings, complete with film and commentary, explore the Theban necropolis and find out more about the history of the Valley of the Kings, its tombs and Thebes today.
The Taj Mahal is situated in Agra in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It was built by the Moghul Emperor, Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal and is the 7th wonder of the world. It’s worth noting that the Taj Mahal is closed to visitors on Mondays.
There are three ways you can reach the Taj Mahal from Delhi. You can fly with Indian Airlines from Delhi to Agra. The airport, Kheria, is about 6km from Agra and can be reached at fixed rates by taxis (Rs 75) and auto-rickshaws (Rs 50).
There are several trains that connect Delhi with Agra. These include the Shatabdi Express which takes 2 hours, or the Taj Express 2 ½ hours or the Intercity Express which takes 3 hrs. The third option is to travel by car from Delhi to Agra. There are express bus services (a/c and non-a/c) are available from Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow, Gwalior, and Jhansi. Distances to Agra from the following are as follows:
Mathura – 58 kms Bharatpur – 60 kms Gwalior – 118 kms Delhi – 203 kms Jaipur – 236 kms Khajuraho – 393 kms
Globetrotters Tony wrote in to tell us about the Anglo-Paraguayan Friendship Society he belongs to. He says that they hold some very enjoyable social events throughout the year. If anyone is interested in attending, they can contact Lotte Pigram, Anglo-Paraguayan Society, 93 Kingsfield Rd, Watford, Herts WD19 4TP, tel: 01923-246274 or e-mail Lotte on: lottepigram@hotmail.com
Globetrotters meeting 6th September 2003 by Padmassana
We had a very special guest join us at the September Globetrotters meeting, despite not being announced, we were honoured that Mary-Jane Sweet from the Texas Globetrotter branch popped in to say hello (and enjoyed a pint or two at our local pub!) on her way back from a solo trip to Prague. Great to see you Mary-Jane, and thanks for coming to say hello!
If you are coming to London and have time on the first Saturday of every month, contact the Beetle, and she will arrange to meet you and bring you to a London Globetrotters meeting.
John Gimlette was our first speaker who introduced us to the South American country of Paraguay. He told us that 60% of cars in the country are actually stolen, usually from Argentina and Brazil and that many of the people live by selling goods on the streets, anything from oranges to goldfish in plastic bags. John showed us a photo of the Legislate building in Ascunsion that has a hole in its façade, this is due to a tank that was supposed to be starting a coup, however nobody else turned up and the tank ran out of petrol! John’s slides showed us other aspects of Paraguay including a British built railway that was closed in 2000 after a girl was killed and the Mennonites of German descent that live alongside the native Paraguayans but still speak a 16th Century Germanic dialect. We also saw the two Italian built gunboats of the Paraguayan navy dating from 1928, not to mention the fact that Paraguay is a landlocked country! To read more about Johns adventures in Paraguay read his book entitled “At the tomb of the inflatable pig”.
Our second speaker was ex Globetrotters President Richard Snailham who last spoke to Globetrotters 33 years ago. (Padmassana was 6 at the time and needless to say was not present!) Along with intrepid explorer John Blashford Snell, Richard took part in an expedition using read boats on the rivers of Bolivia and Paraguay. Like John before him, Richard gave us a few facts about Bolivia, such as the country is named after Simon Bolivar and that the Bolivians have a poor record of going to war which currently leaves them at 0-7. Like Paraguay, Bolivia has a navy despite being landlocked, he showed us pictures of two warships that were originally British. The expedition aimed to follow the rivers using a traditionally built reed boat and with the help of the Bolivian navy’s low loader they got to their starting point. However not without having to chop bits off the boat to get it under road bridges and giving La Paz a power cut when trying to get under electric cables. John showed us photos of the boats progress down river which was slow, mainly due to the low water level, which meant they had to portage the boats on lorries to find water deep enough and at one point having to push the reed boat with a dinghy with an outboard motor in order to not be pushed back from where they had come! Part of the expedition was medical, this included two dentists who removed over 1000 teeth during the trip! Eventually they ran out of navigable river so one boat was given to the Bolivian navy, one to a children’s park and the third, they burned! To read more about Richards’s journey pick up a copy of his book “Kota Mama”.
Coming up on Saturday th October, Roger Widdecombe will talk about: “It ain’t a Holiday,” his experiences on taking part in Raleigh International expeditions Ghana W Africa. Roger took part in three Raleigh International expeditions to Ghana from September 2001 to September 2002. Acting as a volunteer member of staff, he undertook the roles of expedition photographer and fundraiser and also staged the first sponsored Abseil Challenge event to be held in that country.
Following Roger, Juliet Coombe will be telling us all about Great Festivals around the World. This is Juliet's latest publication – how to party your way around the World while discovering the origins of each fiesta.
London meetings are held at The Church of Scotland, Crown Court, behind the Fortune Theatre in Covent Garden at 2.30pm the first Saturday of each month (exept for bank holiday weekends). There is no London meeting in August, but we will be back in September. For more information, you can contact the Globetrotters Info line on +44 (0) 20 8674 6229, or visit the website: www.globetrotters.co.uk
Etna burst into our view as we explored Taormina’s Teatro Greco early one April morning. The day’s clear skies allowed us to look out across from this large amphitheatre and notice how the volcano formed a marvellous and deliberate backdrop through the semi ruined red brick stage walls. The Greek colonists certainly a had sense of place and made the most of the peak and its domination of eastern Sicily’s skyline. Two thousand years later its presence also acted as beacon – this time in fulfilling our day’s aim of appreciating a major reason for visiting the island.
Driving anti-clockwise around the Parco d. Etna allowed a plan of seeing how far we could actually get into the heart of Etna to be hatched. As our steady passage along a somewhat haphazard route succeeded in drawing us closer towards Etna, all seemed to bode well as we strained our necks along unhindered views of the still snow caped peak. But more and more we bumped into the consistent problems of vague road signs & our poor navigational skills and as such we found ourselves failing to penetrate very far into the park at all, apart from a few impassable trails near Bronte. Even at this point our first lava flows, whether hundreds of years old or more recent, looked impressive as their long since cooled remains lie amid the trails of destruction wrought across the surrounding countryside. Walking on top of these flows felt like walking out onto the remains of a burnt out BBQ – the crunching steps sounded much like the point where the charcoal can be crumbled into nothing and lacks any density.
Time and lack of progress soon concluded that heading inward from the north west was going to fail and as an alternative we struggled round to the southern entrance at Belpasso. Finally, after passing through a number of grey, industrial communities we started to get drawn in towards the dwarfing centre. We moved up through kilometres of ever switching roads, across grander lava flows and on past a more disturbed countryside. Our road finished at Cantoniera d’Etna (a mere 1881 m above sea level) and we crossed up on to a landscape that looked like a cross between the moon and a war hardened battlefield. Varying craters from previous eruptions littered the scenery, whilst the main peak stood away up another 1500 meters. Even at this level heat and steam still rose, whilst swirling winds and eerie silences added to the atmosphere and only machines being used to repair the most recently damaged roads broke the spell.
Etna’s continual eruptions have generated huge outpouring of ash, which over time has settled as dust into everywhere. We noticed that it covered the remainder of the winter’s snow and formed much of a crater we clambered up to get a better view of the quickly clouding over peak. Walking up such dusty surroundings made staggering across a sandy beach in heavy boots seem easier, as each step gained cost us half a stride backwards. Our calf muscles ached for a respite by the time we reached our wind blown crater rim…
Once back in breath there was time to enjoy the stunning views – south through the hazy sunshine towards the eastern coast of Sicily and round behind ourselves and up to towards the now almost shrouded summit. Our photographic urges found us trying to capture the surrounding colours of a fired furnace contrasted reds, yellows & deep charcoals and across the horizon toward the remnants of a chairlift which had been left upright, like hairs on the back of a hand. Down below many of the restaurants and administration buildings had either been completely brushed aside or remained semi submerged within the lava flows! These sights left me wondering how such a natural force can discharge so much power and toss aside all human activities with disdain!
Such was the magnetism of Etna and its surroundings that it was with some reluctance and much lateness that we found ourselves moving on from this step of our Mediterranean tour. However when looking to fulfil the ever present needs of food and accommodation, even Etna’s charms could only sway for so long…
If you’d like to contact Matt, to ask him any questions or ask advice, please e-mail him on: matt
This is the third of three descriptions of the 24 sites of “outstanding universal value”, that have been designated world heritage sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
These are as follows:
Source: BBC News
For information on Ontario meetings, please contact Svatka Hermanek: shermanek@schulich.yorku.ca or Bruce Weber: tel. 416-203-0911 or Paul Webb: tel. 416-694-8259.
Meetings are held on the third Friday of January, March, May, September and November. Usually at the Woodsworth Co-op, Penthouse, 133, Wilton Street in downtown Toronto at 8.00 p.m.
The World’s Top 5 Cleanest Countries
New Zealand comes 6th, Australia 7th, the US 11th, the UK 16th.
Source: http://www.aneki.com/lists.html
You know when you’ve been Dengued. Or do you’
After spending two weeks in the south of Thailand, I caught an over night bus from Sarat Thani back to Bangkok. That morning, to my surprise I managed to reschedule my flight due out the following day to Australia. Delighted that I had extended my stay in Thailand I went out that night and celebrated.
After sleeping for four hours, I woke with a rumbling stomach. I tried to ignore it. Dozing in and out of consciousness, my bowels decided that I needed to perch on the toilet. In Thailand, this seemed hardly unusual and I was not alarmed until daylight appeared: I realized I had been decorating the toilet at least ten times in three hours. Was I glad not to be on that fourteen-hour flight to Australia!
I had a persistent headache throughout the day and I noticed a pain in my lower back had become worse. That afternoon I went to the cinema. While seated the pain in my back spread down into my legs. Constantly fidgeting, I struggled to concentrate on the movie. The walk back to the house was exhausting so I went straight to bed.
OK so every one has been ill or felt pain at some point in life. Independent self-diagnosis of symptoms overrides concern about our well being and we often think nothing of it. Let’s look at the symptoms:
Diarrhoea – Is that not compulsory when travelling abroad?
Back pain – My backpack, one week sleeping in a wooden hut and then the overnight bus …..
Fever – What fever? It was the beginning of May – 40 degrees centigrade plus – Thailand's hottest time of year. The rainy season was building up and the air was extremely close.
Headache – Not much sleep recently, possible dehydration from the heat and, … erm …. hangover.
Leg ache – Did I drink any cheap Thai whiskey last night?
The next morning, I was no better. Noi, my host, took me to the doctor. Once inside the hospital, the nurse routinely took my blood pressure before seeing the doctor. I recounted my symptoms and he suggested I have a blood test. OK, so I hate needles! It’s not so much that I hate injections – they just jab into you and then that is it over and done. No, it’s the searching for a suitable vein first (can understand that, Beetle!).
The nurse hunted up and down my arms and around my hands for ages. Hurry up, I thought. I started to hyperventilate. Failing on the first vein, the nurse got some blood on the second. Then another needle appeared with a clear bag of liquid attached to it. I became nervous again. “What's it for?” I asked Noi. 'It is to make you strong” she said. “OK but what is it?” I asked. “Water. Don’t worry. It is OK” Noi tried to reassure me. “I will come back in six hours when it is finished.”
Six hours! Now lets slow down a minute. If I go to the doctor back home, I do not get put on a drip of water for six hours. Promising to drink plenty of mineral water, and with a recommendation to return in three days, I left the hospital.
Two days passed and I still felt unwell. I decided to have a flick through my travel health book. OK, what am I looking for here? I started with back pain. Sprains. Slipped discs… other types of back pain: Dengue Fever. What is that, I had never heard of it before. I read the symptoms. Hang on a minute – back pain yep, fever yep, diarrhoea yep, banging headaches yep. Oh no! Please don't tell me, I have this …… wait for it … tropical disease!
I realised it was quite possible. The white-backed mosquito carries Dengue Fever and outbreaks are particularly common in South East Asia – where I had been. They generally bite in the daytime. On reflection, I had fallen asleep in my hut one afternoon and woke up to find a circle of mosquito bites on my left leg.
I read on: although the symptoms are similar to that of Malaria, I discovered there is nothing you can do to prevent catching it, except slap on lots of insect repellent. A vaccine is still in the process of being developed. The good news is that you cannot catch it from another person. The bad news is that it is serious. There are four different strains of Dengue fever. Catching one kind only gives immunity to that strain. There is also the far more serious Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever, which causes the sufferer to bleed to death without immediate medical attention. This usually only occurs in children under fifteen.
Gulp…what if I am infected, am I going to die or be permanently affected by it?
It was now day three and I was feeling worse than ever. For the first time in my life, when a doctor has told me to return, I had to obey.
In part 2, Ingrid tells us of her stay in a Thai hospital, visits from ants and priests and how she recovered!
If you would like to contact Ingrid, who is currently in Chile, you can e-mail her on:gr.ing.a.rid@latinmail.com
Muir’s Tours recently launched their volunteer teaching programme in Peru and it is proving to be very popular with Gap Year students. They have now set up another teaching facility in the ancient settlement of Huancayo where you can experience pre Inca culture and hospitality.
For more information, see http://www.nkf-mt.org.uk/volunteer_Huancayo_Peru.htm
Indonesia is the largest archipelago and the fifth most populous country in the world. Consisting of five main islands and 30 smaller archipelagos, it has a total of 13.677 of which about 6.000 are inhabited. It stretches 5.120 km (3.200 miles) between Australia and the Asia mainland and divides the Pacific and Indian Ocean at the equator. The third largest country in Asia in terms of both population and area after China and India, Indonesia’s national territory consist for 84 percent of sea and only for 16 percent of land. The five biggest islands are Kalimantan (539,460 sq km), Sumatra (473,606 sq km), Irian Jaya (421,952 sq km), Sulawesi (189,035 sq km) and Java including Madura (132,035 sq km).
It is a destination which offers diverse interests in a great variety of cultures, scenic beauty of its island, customs and the natural architecture of green paddy fields, all enveloped in a warm tropical climate.
SUMATRA
Sumatra, the archipelago’s second largest island consists of an extraordinary wealth of resources, peoples and cultures. Medan is the gateway for travel to Lake Toba, the world largest volcanic lake. The enchanting Samosir island in the middle of the lake is the best place to observe traditional Batak culture. Adventurous travellers will visit Mt. Leuser National park, one of the richest in South East Asia, with unspoiled ecological systems supporting more than 500 species of birds, 3500 species of plants and housing endangered species such as sumatranese tiger and rhinoceros, elephants, gibbons. Orang utan can be easily approached in Bahorok rehabilitation center, deep in the dense jungle. Surf lovers as well as remote culture seekers will find it all in the unique island of Nias.
JAVA
Java is one of nature’s masterworks: some 120 volcanoes (30 are still active) have spread over the times fertile ashes supporting an extraordinary luxuriant vegetation. Such natural blessings were turned to great advantage by untold generations of Javanese who sculpted rice terraces everywhere it was possible to. The glorious civilization of ancient java – producers of masterpieces such as Borobudur and Prambanan temple, was founded on this agricultural bounty and since the early times, java has exerted an inordinate influence over the surrounding areas. Today over 110 million of people live here, in an area only as large as England. (60% of Indonesia total populations). The political cultural and economic heart of the worlds 5th largest nation, Java has no peer as a place to visit. Found here is every imaginable landscape and treasure. Java is indeed a microcosm of all the wonders and the burdens of this great island nation.
SULAWESI or CELEBES
Sulawesi or Celebes Island. A glance at any map of Sulawesi, formerly known as Celebes, immediately highlights the island’s strangest attribute; its shape. Variously described as looking like an orchid, a spider or a giant crab, the island four “arms” radiate from a mountainous core. Despite covering an area nearly as large as Britain, no place is more than 40 km from the sea. Most people visit the island to see the Toraja, living in the south province. Their funerals ceremonies, cliff burial sites and soaring roofed houses makes this culture on of the most fascinating in the world. Makasar (formerly Ujung Pandang), Sulawesi largest city is the usual port of entry. Manado on the northern tip offers some of the best diving in the country and is also becoming increasingly popular.
KALIMANTAN or BORNEO
Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of Borneo is a huge, thinly populated territory of swamps, jungle, mountains and rivers. Approximately the size of France, Kalimantan’s 10 million inhabitants make just 5% of the country population, most of which is concentrated in coastal cities. If you are looking for jungle and jungle culture, Kalimantan is your destination. The eastern province is the most popular destination with Balikpapan, an oil industry center as a gateway. Board a comfortable houseboat and wind your way slowly up the fascinating Mahakam River into the Dayak people land. Once known as the force headhunters, the Dayak have for long abandoned this tradition but have maintained their unique culture and most still live traditional long houses set on stilts. Banjarmasin in the southern province has certainly the biggest and most authentic floating market in Asia and is a good starting point for wildlife expeditions to Tanjung Putting National Park and the orang utans rehabilitation center at Camp Leakey.
IRIAN JAYA
Irian Jaya is the largest and most eastern province of Indonesia and covers the western half of the island of New Guinea, the eastern part of the island is the territory of Papua New Guinea (PNG). Almost three quarter of the island consist of high mountains. The rest is wide lowlands, deep valley, wide muddy river mouths, swamps and jungle. The primitive cultures of the Irian tribes are of special interest. The Baliem valley in the central part of Irian Jaya is very well known and the natural beauty is enhanced by the people’s faithful adherence to their ancestral customs and traditions.
Well, if you are thinking of holiday trip, or even just information on any travel requirements in Indonesia, please do not hesitate to contact us: abctour_td@cbn.net.id We will be most happy to assist you.
Globetrotters meeting on Saturday 13th September at 2pm
The Texas Branch of the Globetrotters Club will meet Saturday Sept 13th, 2003, 2pm at the New Braunfels Public Library 700 E. Common Street, New Braunfels, Texas 830-620-5482
The September meeting will Feature a speaker from “Friendship Force International” for more information, see their website: http://www.friendshipforce.org/
If you like independent, adventuresome, fun, daring, exciting, “off the beaten path” travel, this club is for you. Our meeting begins at 2 P.M. Come early so you won't be late! Enjoy handouts, travel talk time, and door prizes!
Dates of future meetings: October 11th, November 8th – Mark your calendars.
For more information about the Texas Branch or help Christina, please contact her by texas@globetrotters.co.uk or register for email updates at our website (click here) or call Christina at 830-620-5482
On the way to Buenos Aires
We only did two visits during the five days it took to drive from Tierra del Fuego to Buenos Aires (BA) and so we arrived in that capital city ready for a rest and some comfortable beds! The only problem was, although our hotel was situated right bang in the centre of BA, we were not only on a street that was a regular bus route, but arrived at a time when major road works were going on all over BA and one set of which were right outside our hotel, so what with traffic all around us, pneumatic drills and revelers in the early hours, it was difficult to get any sleep! And of course it was very hot, but not as hot as it had been apparently, when temperatures had reached 40+. At least our temperatures were more in the high 20s/early 30s.
But BA was an incredible place, with long, extremely wide, roads cutting across it, all with their names reflecting history – names of specific dates such as “Avenida de 9 Julio” reflecting I believe their independence day; others after names of presidents such as “Avenida de Mayo” etc. We were only there for 5 nights, 4 days, and so spent most of it trying to get in as much catching up on emails and see as much of the sights as possible, including a trip to Uruguay for the day.
Of course, we all did our separate things, Judith and I sharing a room and our experiences and in the end we saw a great deal of the capital but not enough as it turned out as a lot of the museums were closed on a Monday (we arrived on a Thursday evening, and were leaving again early on the Tuesday) so our time was rather limited.
Friday was spent recovering from our epic five day journey and just looking around the immediate locality, getting laundry done and catching up on bits and pieces of shopping; Saturday it poured down all day long, but undaunted Judith and I went to see Eva Perón’s tomb (which was very low key, tucked away nondescriptly in one of a great number of rows of mausoleums in a cemetery just off the main central part of BA). But Judith was enthralled by it and had to have her photo taken in front of it, which I obligingly did on my camera as she had forgotten hers and it had been put in the hotel safe as a security precaution!
We also visited a famous part of BA called La Bocca which is really the slum area of BA but which has been renovated in parts and houses a thriving arts community. Many of the walls have murals depicting the history of the area but there are also many art shops and displays to wander around, besides street musicians and wandering artists, and of course the obligatory touristy shops! It had a lot of character and we spent the evening there, having a meal in one of the restaurants and enjoying the experience. To get there we had travelled on the bus and metro and that was quite an experience, especially travelling on the bus as although they do stop at designated bus stops, they will also open their doors and wait for you if you just signal them, but invariably this has to be when they are caught in a traffic jam because very often the public buses seem to be in a great hurry to get somewhere and very often drive straight past bus stops even when people are queuing there.
On the Sunday we went across to Uruguay for the day – taking the local ferry across the River Uruguay that took just under 3 hours. We left our hotel at 8am and took a taxi to the local ferry port, which was teeming with life. First of all we had to purchase a ticket, and went to one of the local ferry operators for this and that took some 40 minutes to be processed and then we had to queue for embarkation and get a stamp exiting Argentina and another stamp for entering Uruguay, and, of course, on the way back we had to then exit Uruguay and reenter Argentina.
But the day was brilliantly sunny and so we sat on deck for the entire outward crossing to Uruguay although on the return journey at 1845 it was too chilly to do this and so we spent almost the entire journey in one of the very crowded saloons, jam-packed with the day trippers, locals as well as tourists.
We went to a place called Colonia. We could have gone to Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay but it would have been going from one big city to another, and so chose a “luxury” day trip fare to Colonia, (much nicer than Montevideo, Iris – Beetle) which is an ancient town some 150 km down the coast from Montevideo, which is a World Heritage site because of its old town with some of the original town wall surviving and lots of its old original houses from the 17th and 18th centuries not only still standing but still being used as homes and businesses by the local population, with the proviso they do not alter the structures noticeably.
Our package included a two-course lunch, a guided tour of the new and old towns of Colonia, and of course the return ferry fare. It proved a really rewarding day out, as although it was visited by so many, it was well organized and even the old town did not seem that overcrowded with tourists and one was able to walk around, admire the old architecture and the views along the river and learn something of the history of the place, which was originally settled by the Spanish and then taken over by the Portuguese and became part of Brazil until it got its independence in the 19th century.
Monday was spent in BA, catching up on emails, and visiting the opera house and the presidential palace. Of the opera house, we only got a very brief inside glimpse as it is closed on a Monday for cleaning and normally groups are not allowed in. However, Judith is a very persuasive lady and with her “pretty please” approach, swung us a brief glance inside the auditorium with its plush furnishings etc. Then we moved on to the presidential palace, first of all to look at the archives and catacombs and later to go on a guided tour of the palace itself. Unfortunately, the guided tour was in Spanish only and so most of the time we had to be content to just admire the magnificent architecture and furnishings rather than learn much about its history and unfortunately books in English on the palace weren’t to be had, but of course, we associated it with Eva Peron and looked at it all with her image well in mind!
Next month, Iris tells us of her visit to the Iguaçu Falls.
If you’d like to contact Iris, whether to wish her luck with her trip or to ask questions about her itinerary and places visited, I am sure she would like to hear from you. She can be contacted on: irisej2002@yahoo.co.uk